keep (one's) wits about (one)

keep one's wits about (one)

Fig. to remain rational when threatened or under stress; to keep one's mind operating in a time of stress. If Jane hadn't kept her wits about her during the fire, things would have been much worse.I could hardly keep my wits about me.

It was for his interests that every laborer should work as hard as possible, and that while doing so he should keep his wits about him, so as to try not to break the winnowing machines, the horse rakes, the thrashing machines, that he should attend to what he was doing.

Jennie Candlish's gelding travelled strongly in the race and forged clear after the wings of the final flight, but jockey Alan O'Keeffe had to keep his wits about him as his mount went sharply left, colliding with the inside running rail.

Now he's got to keep his wits about him against St Mirren and Paterson said: "The gaffer might have told me that anybody can play left-back, but he knows enough about the position to know I've got a few rough edges to smooth out.

But while the actor may have proved he's a master sleuth - or at least, good at playing one - can he keep his wits about him as he prepares to take charge of Paul Merton and Ian Hislop in the first of the new series?

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